Rugby Reports 17th February 2018

Championship

Otters left stunned by second half collapse

Narberth 29 - Bedlinog 31

There was the most incredible fightback at the Lewis Lloyd Memorial Ground as an 84th minute converted try from scrum half James Soams sealed the most unlikely win for the visitors after they had trailed 29-0 with just 30 minutes to go.

At that point, The Foxes seemed down and out but The Otters made a host of changes that only seemed to stifle their momentum, and Sean Gale’s men proceeded to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as Bedlinog ran in five tries without reply.

The home side had led 17-0 in the first half after No 10 Ianto Griffiths landed an early penalty, before adding the conversions to tries from prop Bradley Davies and winger Liam Hutchings.

And they started the second half in similar fashion as Griffiths himself cut over and again landed the extras, before flanker Tom Powell also crossed to seal a bonus point for Gale’s men and seemingly the win as well.
But then came the amazing Bedlinog fightback as hooker Nathan Hewish went over, before the visitors were awarded a penalty try.

Second row Jones and winger Jake Howard also crossed, with No 10 Daniel Parry adding a conversion to set up a tantalising finish.

And trailing 29-24, the away side piled on the pressure in the dying moments, and it culminated in Soams picking up at a ruck and sniping over by the posts to leave Parry with the simplest of conversions to win it.
The Otters do remain third after claiming two bonus points, but that will be of little consolation after their fifth league defeat of the season.

PHOTO:
Liam Hutching scored a try for The Otters

Division One West

Crymych come good in Penclawdd

Penclawdd 14 - Crymych 37

Prior to their trip to Penclawdd, Crymych’s only league win of the season had come against their hosts back in October – but they secured the double they so desperately needed thanks to a dominant second half display.

The Preseli Men led 10-0 at the break thanks to a try from centre Carwyn Phillips and a conversion and penalty from namesake Ifan, and then cut loose thereafter to boost their survival hopes.

The latter landed another penalty before second row Rhys Davies, No 8 Guto Davies and Crymych’s man of the match at scrum half Arwel Davies secured the bonus point with tries, with full back Gavin Thomas also crossing late on.

Phillips (2) and replacement full back Carwyn Jones notched second half conversions.

Wingers Nick Bevan and Laurence Headlam also stood out for Randall Williams’ team, and although the home side did notch two penalty tries from scrum offences in the final quarter, it didn’t take the gloss off a timely confidence-boosting win for the Preseli Men.

PHOTO:
Ifan Phillips scored points for Crymych with his trusty right boot

A try treble from Thomas washes away The Seasiders

Tenby United 20 - Llangennech 44

A classy display from Llangennech No 10 Josh Hammett and a hat trick of tries from winger Ieuan Thomas ensured Tenby United fell to a heavy defeat at Heywood Lane.

And yet The Seasiders actually got the perfect start when No 8 Roy Osborn powered over for an unconverted score, before Thomas turned the tide for the visitors with two good finishes for tries that Hammett converted.

The outside half then punished Tenby indiscipline as he landed three penalties in quick succession to open up a 23-5 lead, before centre Craig Barnett pulled three points back for the home side before the break with a penalty of his own.

Thomas completed his try treble early in the second half, before fellow winger Tom Barnes got in on the act as he twice benefitted from some good handling to score a brace himself. Hammett, who also impressed with his controlling of the contest, converted all three scores.

To their credit, Chris James’ side didn’t cave in and fought back late on as second row Luke Dedman grabbed a try which Barnett converted, before replacement winger Jordan Asparassa also crossed in the dying seconds.

But The Seasiders ran out of time as they chased a four try bonus point and remain eighth in the table.

PHOTO:
Roy Osborn scoring for Tenby
Picture by susan McKehon

Division Two West

Fishguard fightback proves in vain

Fishguard and Goodwick 20 - Pontarddulais 28

A last-gasp missed conversion meant Fishguard and Goodwick took nothing away from their home game with Pontarddulais despite a stirring late fightback.

Trailing 28-15, home No 8 Simon James crashed over from a close range scrum, but Kial Keane’s subsequent conversion, which would have put The Seagulls within seven points of The Bont, drifted agonisingly wide.

It was the visitors who had struck first when scrum half Ethan Dunne sniped over for a try converted by half back partner Liam Lazarus, before Keane responded for Fishguard with a penalty.

And on the brink of half time Lazarus pounced on some sloppy play from the home side for another try he also converted to make it 14-3.

The Bont extended their advantage after half time as replacement Gareth Thomas and centre Gethin Williams both crossed for tries that were converted by Lazarus – although The Seagulls did grab a five-pointer themselves in between with a well taken score from young winger Thomas George,
That left them trailing 28-8 but then coaches Huw Evans and Gareth Thomas saw their side rally, and James burst through for his first score that Keane converted – but then crucially was unable to do the same in the final minute after James had claimed his second try.

Fishguard stay ninth, but Amman United’s win over Mumbles leaves them nervously looking over their shoulder in the battle to stay up.

PHOTO:
Fishguard No 8 Simon James crashed over for a try

Whitland win again to close in on top spot

Whitland 31 - Tumble 15

Whitland took full advantage of league leaders Yr Hendy not playing as they closed the gap at the top to six points, still with two games in hand, from this comprehensive all-round display against Tumble.

The Borderers burst into a 21-10 half time lead with No 8 Jack Mason, hooker Marc Jones and full back Scott Newton crossing for tries, with Mason’s the pick of the bunch as be broke blind 22 metres out and powered through three tackles to score.

Outside half Nico Setaro kicked all three conversions although Tumble, who arrived at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn on the back of four straight league wins, kept in touch via a try for winger Sam Jones and a conversion and penalty from No 10 Steve Hewitt.

But the home side effectively ended the contest with 10 early points in the second half, as winger Liam Price rounded off a busy display with a try and Setaro, again controlling matters well from No 10, added the conversion and a penalty.

Owain Davies did score a second consolation try for Tumble late on – but it was The Borderers who continued their push for both promotion and the title.

PHOTO:
No 8 Jack Mason grabbed a try for Whitland

Division Three West A

Four-star Smith powers Pembroke top

Aberaeron 22 - Pembroke 40

Four tries for No 8 Sam Smith helped take Pembroke top of Division Three West A as they battled back from what coach Geraint Lewis described as a ‘rusty’ start in Aberaeron.

The home side took the lead through a corner try from winger Dyfrig Davies, but Pembroke hit back straight away with a try for prop Lloyd Davies that Toby Smith converted.

The pendulum swung again when Aberaeron winger Rhodri Thomas scored an interception try that No 10 Rhodri Davies converted, but it was then that Smith took centre stage.

He got his first try from a neat inside pass from winger Barry Alderman-John, and then powered over for his second straight after.

Frustratingly for The Scarlets, the home side were then granted uncontested scrums after just 30 minutes, but after Rhodri Davies landed a penalty Smith sealed his try hat trick just before the break following a good break from young centre Fraser James.

That put the visitors 22-15 up at half time, and it was Smith who extended the lead with another try early in the second half, after a great passage of Pembroke play kick-started by a break from No 9 Tom Lewis.

Back came Aberaeron again through a try from full back Morgan Llewellin, but the final stages belonged to the visitors as Toby Smith landed a penalty, before Alderman-John went over for a deserved try and replacement flanker Dom Colman sealed matters by powering over late on.

“We were rusty to start after a few weeks not playing but after that we played well,” said Lewis afterwards.
“The pack was awesome and we were scrummaging them off the park before having to go uncontested.”

PHOTO:Sam Smith - four tries for Pembroke

PHOTO:
Lee Summons breaks for The Blues

Blues battle back after Saints start well

Haverfordwest 21 - St Davids 7

It was tight at Merlins Bridge as Haverfordwest fought back from a rocky start to overcome a St Davids side that continues to improve as the season draws on.

The Saints dominated the opening quarter and after outside half Matty Mcleod was off target with two penalty attempts, eventually took the lead after a series of lineout drives led to an overlap out wide that saw full back Rhys Morgan crash over. Mcleod converted.

But The Blues soon got a foothold and were back level when a super inside pass from No 10 Liam Manwaring set up flanker Dan John to score, and full back Ollie Hughes levelled matters with the extras.

The St Davids pack continued to be in the ascendancy at the set piece but it was the home side who proved more clinical, and they then took the lead in style when Manwaring’s long floated pass put centre Dane Pindare in space in wide, and he in turn set up full back Rhys Baker to dive over in the corner. Hughes added the extras brilliantly from the touchline.

And despite having David O’Leary yellow carded, Bruce Evans’ team thought they had a third try before half time, but Pindare’s ‘scoring’ pass to lively winger Josh Atherton was judged forward.

The Blues did strike early in the second half when the impressive Hughes cut over out wide for a try he again converted – before crucially, The Saints were unable to convert a heavy spell of pressure into points as the Haverfordwest defence stood firm against a series of close range scrums and lineouts.

And then Evans’ men nearly secured a bonus point try when from another St Davids attack, Pindare intercepted a pass in his own 22 and sped towards the line only to be denied by a superb cover tackle from Saints flanker and standout player Gabe York.

PHOTO:
Scott Buirds powers forward for Neyland against The Quins

Try brace for Buirds as All Blacks overcome The Quins

Neyland 36 - Pembroke Dock Harlequins 15

It was entertaining at the Athletic Ground as Neyland scored six tries to see off a Quins team that managed three of their own.

The All Blacks got a fast start as player coach Steve Martin opened the scoring with a penalty, before adding the extras to a try from young flanker Iestyn Evans.

And it was another promising back rower in Scott Buirds who extended the lead by powering over, Martin again converting to make it 17-0.

But Ossie Boswell’s men battled back with tries either side of half time, firstly when Liam Hargreaves-Gibson crossed, before the visitors grabbed a brilliant team try as prop Jack Brown rounded off a spell of interplay between forwards and backs by crashing over in the corner.

Any threat of a fightback was soon snuffed out though as former Quins player Adam Cawley crossed for Neyland from a neat close range break, before the impressive Buirds went over for his second score and Martin converted.

The points kept coming as the visitors claimed a third and final try through winger Jordan Palmer – but Neyland, for whom Iori Salter stood out alongside Buirds and Martin, had the final word when centre George Williams cut through a gap to score and Richard Jones converted.

Smith leads by example as Laugharne leather Tregaron

Laugharne 58 - Tregaron 0

A hat trick of tries from captain and flanker Carl Smith helped Laugharne move into the top three as they had few problems with visitors Tregaron at Wooford Park.

Alongside Smith’s treble, outside half Owain Thomas also crossed three times, and No 8 Mikey Williams continued his searing try scoring form with two of his own.

Second row Tom Rees and centre Tom Davies completed the try scoring, with another centre in Tom Jameson adding four conversions.

The Cocklemen remain nine points off leaders Pembroke, but with a game in hand and still having to play their title rivals twice.